The Caterpillar Burnie International will get underway on Monday and Kaylah McPhee and Maddison Inglis will be giving it their all to make it into the women’s main draw. The 21-year-old Inglis and 20-year-old McPhee will be in action in the women’s qualifying, with all main draw hopefuls needing to win two qualifying games on Monday to play on Tuesday. Inglis said she had a nice preparation for Burnie and felt the opportunity to play against quality players in the lead-in would hold her in good stead when it comes to qualifying. “I got the chance to play the Sydney International and had a really good match with Danielle Collins, who is 30 in the world and still in the Australian Open,” Inglis said. “Then my boyfriend Jason Kubler (world number 130) and I got to play doubles in the mixed doubles and we lost, but it was still a good experience. “Last year was my first year here (in Burnie) and I lost in qualifying, but I am hoping that I can get into the main draw and look to improve my ranking.” McPhee said she had her own opportunity to playing in Australian Open qualifiers and two lead-in tournaments and was looking to continue improving. “I have had a pretty good preparation by playing in a $25,000 event in Playford, the Hobart International and the Australian Open qualifiers. “So I have had plenty of good matches against players ranked much higher. “I feel like I have been playing really well and I am excited this week.” Queensland’s McPhee said her focus on improving her ranking began a couple years ago, as she made her way into the professional ranks through the lower level events. “I started about a year and a half ago and my ranking was about a 1000 and ever since then I have cut it down and I was at 700 last year and started this year around 350. “I played some junior events coming through but I didn’t play the whole junior circuit and I didn’t have much of a junior ranking. “I actually made my way professional by starting to play money events and qualifiers of $25,000 events until I got my ranking.” Western Australia’s Inglis spent Sunday practice for two hours, one hour with McPhee and another hour with fellow Australian qualifying hopeful Isabelle Wallace. Inglis said getting accustomed to the Burnie courts was crucial in getting a good start on Monday. “I just came from Melbourne and the courts are a bit different, but as I got into with my practice and I was hitting a few balls, I started to feel a bit better. “I really enjoying playing here last year, although I got knocked last year in qualifiers and I am excited to get going.” The qualifiers will begin at 10am, with the schudule to be confirmed after publication. Also getting underway on Monday will be the men’s draw with 13 first round games set to take place. There have been some withdrawals from the men’s draw with Jordan Thompson, Kubler and Australian Open surprise packet Alex Bolt dropping out of the field. But the quality of the men’s field is still very strong with the world 99 Mirza Basic of Bosnia and Herzegovina entering as the top seed, while South Africa’s Lloyd Harris (world number 119), Spain’s Pedro Martinez (world number 165) and Australia’s Marc Polmans (world number 169) round out the top four. The first game on the centre court will see Australia’s Akira Santillan take on Spain’s Nicola Kuhn, followed by Australian Harry Bouchier facing Finland’s Harri Heliovaara and Australian Jacob Grills taking on Spain’s Enrique Lopez Perez. In the centre court games set to start after 2pm, Australian James Duckworth will take on fellow Australian Aleksandar Vukic and China’s Zhe Li will take on Australian Andrew Harris. Other Australian in action will be Jeremy Beale against Vietnam’s Nam Hoang Ly, Max Purcell against Spain’s David Perez Sanz, Maverick Banes against Turkey’s Cem Ilkel and and Dayne Kelly against Russia’s Alexander Zhurbin. The 2018 Burnie International men’s runner up, Germany’s Daniel Altmaier will face Canada’s Steven Diaz.

McPhee and Inglis out to impress

Set for qualifiers: Queensland's Kaylah McPhee and West Australia's
Maddison Inglis will take to the court on Monday. Picture: Simon Sturzaker.

The Caterpillar Burnie International will get underway on Monday and Kaylah McPhee and Maddison Inglis will be giving it their all to make it into the women’s main draw.

The 21-year-old Inglis and 20-year-old McPhee will be in action in the women’s qualifying, with all main draw hopefuls needing to win two qualifying games on Monday to play on Tuesday.

Inglis said she had a nice preparation for Burnie and felt the opportunity to play against quality players in the lead-in would hold her in good stead when it comes to qualifying.

“I got the chance to play the Sydney International and had a really good match with Danielle Collins, who is 30 in the world and still in the Australian Open,” Inglis said.

“Then my boyfriend Jason Kubler (world number 130) and I got to play doubles in the mixed doubles and we lost, but it was still a good experience.

“Last year was my first year here (in Burnie) and I lost in qualifying, but I am hoping that I can get into the main draw and look to improve my ranking.”

McPhee said she had her own opportunity to playing in Australian Open qualifiers and two lead-in tournaments and was looking to continue improving.

“I have had a pretty good preparation by playing in a $25,000 event in Playford, the Hobart International and the Australian Open qualifiers.

“So I have had plenty of good matches against players ranked much higher.

“I feel like I have been playing really well and I am excited this week.”

Queensland’s McPhee said her focus on improving her ranking began a couple years ago, as she made her way into the professional ranks through the lower level events.

“I started about a year and a half ago and my ranking was about a 1000 and ever since then I have cut it down and I was at 700 last year and started this year around 350.

“I played some junior events coming through but I didn’t play the whole junior circuit and I didn’t have much of a junior ranking.

“I actually made my way professional by starting to play money events and qualifiers of $25,000 events until I got my ranking.”

Western Australia’s Inglis spent Sunday practice for two hours, one hour with McPhee and another hour with fellow Australian qualifying hopeful Isabelle Wallace.

Inglis said getting accustomed to the Burnie courts was crucial in getting a good start on Monday.

“I just came from Melbourne and the courts are a bit different, but as I got into with my practice and I was hitting a few balls, I started to feel a bit better.

“I really enjoying playing here last year, although I got knocked last year in qualifiers and I am excited to get going.”

The qualifiers will begin at 10am, with the schudule to be confirmed after publication.

Also getting underway on Monday will be the men’s draw with 13 first round games set to take place.

There have been some withdrawals from the men’s draw with Jordan Thompson, Kubler and Australian Open surprise packet Alex Bolt dropping out of the field.

But the quality of the men’s field is still very strong with the world 99 Mirza Basic of Bosnia and Herzegovina entering as the top seed, while South Africa’s Lloyd Harris (world number 119), Spain’s Pedro Martinez (world number 165) and Australia’s Marc Polmans (world number 169) round out the top four.

The first game on the centre court will see Australia’s Akira Santillan take on Spain’s Nicola Kuhn, followed by Australian Harry Bouchier facing Finland’s Harri Heliovaara and Australian Jacob Grills taking on Spain’s Enrique Lopez Perez.

In the centre court games set to start after 2pm, Australian James Duckworth will take on fellow Australian Aleksandar Vukic and China’s Zhe Li will take on Australian Andrew Harris.

Other Australian in action will be Jeremy Beale against Vietnam’s Nam Hoang Ly, Max Purcell against Spain’s David Perez Sanz, Maverick Banes against Turkey’s Cem Ilkel and and Dayne Kelly against Russia’s Alexander Zhurbin.